Originally published at: How to fix loose drywall anchors | Boing Boing
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The threaded metal drywall anchors are indeed very good, but I prefer the E-Z Ancor product for hollow doors, as it has extra threads right behind the head that keep you from overtightening, and which also seem to really keep the paper face layer of the drywall from tearing or bunching up. For anything heavier, I detest toggle bolts, so for anything a threaded anchor won’t handle, I use a strap toggle. The metal element is solid and stable, and way less fiddly and prone to breakage.
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I like toggle bolts, but they don’t come in a lot of finishes, so I tend to paint them to get them to blend in. They have other limitations, but they offer the most reliable mounting, besides tapping into a stud.
They’re my default for a lot of things for the reasons he states, but I can’t count the number of times I’ve lost the damn toggle inside the wall and had to run back out to the hardware store. I recently discovered the strap toggle and was really impressed with their strength, especially against shearing force. I built a swing-up hideaway desk for my daughter during the pandemic and they worked a treat after the stud anchors shredded the drywall.
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I use these almost exclusively for anything going into drywall. The secret is not to overtighten them as they will break if you’re not careful. Just snug them to the wall and Bob’s your uncle. Also I don’t remove them and leave a big hole to patch over. Instead a quick dollop of spackle and drop of matching paint and all evidence of it ever existing disappears.
If it’s too heavy for drywall anchors then I’m going to be drilling directly into the stud anyway.
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The plastic anchors are also pretty good, but I’ve had more consistency with the metal ones. And I’m sure everyone here knows this, but certain homegoods makers have started including anchors that look kinda like the plastic E-Z Ancor ones. They never work. Don’t use anything that was included with whatever you’re mounting.
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Surprised not to my favorite anchor, the Midwest Fastener 11211 Ultimate Wall Anchor.
They tap in flat so they do less damage to the wall, hold up to 60lbs, and they’re smaller than most of the other options.
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Seconded. I’ll usually give them a tap with a screwdriver and hammer just to recess the plastic a bit or shave off the excess with a razor blade. Definitely not worth trying to remove them.
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I like proper walls you can screw a goddamn screw into.
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But you need a molly or something like it, if you need to have the screw/bolt head set off from the wall a bit in order to accept a keyhole bracket. I have rarely had luck with EZ-style anchors for that and toggle bolts won’t work because they rely on the head being flush with the wall.
My most satisfying solution is to screw a nicely finished plank of wood directly to studs in the area I need to mount the other thing to, a towel bar, for example, and then mount the thing to that. Because, of course, products that require two anchor points are never made so that those points are in a multiple of 16" apart or can be adjusted to the stud spacing you have.
Basically, all of this is just so much faff and fiddling to get around the fact that drywall is a terrible material to rely on for strength or convenience.
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I do like the ez anchors, but I’ve had problems when I needed to remove the screw and the anchor comes out with it. I’ve started using these wallclaw anchors to good effect. The wings keep them from turning in either direction and the end folds to hold them to the drywall from behind.
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I prefer the metal EZ anchors. On the rare occasion they fail or strip a toggle or molly bolt in the same hole will solve the problem. A molly bolt might need a washer after an EZ anchor.
For light weight stuff like pictures I like 3M Command hooks. These hooks are also very strong and leave a very tiny hole when you remove them.
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This is good advice. Even the regular drywall anchors that come with things are of such poor quality that I think they give good drywall anchors a bad name.
I also tell people to make sure you’re drilling the correct size hole. Regular drywall anchors and very fussy about the hole being the exact right size. I think this is the main thing that makes people think they’re no good. Most people drill too large and then the anchor gets loose in six months. I’ve honestly never had a traditional anchor come loose with the correct sized hole, but I also use other methods (toggles or whatever) for heavier things.
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I use those plastic anchors for most things.
But when I need more strength, and studs aren’t an option (My TVs, an Aquarium Stand, anything my toddler attempts to climb). I am currently a big fan of these heavy duty toggle bolts recomended by a contractor friend.
They are super easy to install and you can remove and re-insert the bolt as needed. They come in a couple sizes and are really impressive for applications that can use a bolt instead of a screw.
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I don’t know if anyone has talked about these things yet. I’m not sure what they’re called stateside, or if you have them at all.
But I’ve installed many hundreds of them in a professional capacity with no problems. I’ve even used them to hang heavy TV screens out of plasterboard ceilings and AFAIK, not one has ever failed.
They have a number of advantages over other drywall fixings…
- They don’t need a very big hole bored in the wall.
- They grip the front and back surface of the plasterboard, not the sides of the hole.
- They’re as strong as toggle bolts but less fiddly and the bolt can be removed and replaced without losing the anchor in the cavity.
- They’re pretty easy to use, but you need a special tool to set them (about 15 - 20 of your local money units)
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I’ve always called those molly bolts.
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I’ve never heard that before. I call them Hollow Wall Fixings.
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Accept no substitutes.
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I’m with you, but it’s not an option some places. Namely, where seismic activity makes timber frame construction safer than concrete/stone/brick.
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In the US they are Molly bolts. It used to be a trademark but now its a generic name. Link posted above
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